Chapter 14 Chapter 13
Chapter 14 Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
CAELON
“I hate you, Caelon Rouen. You disgust me.”
Her footsteps faded as Aila walks away. I rested my forehead against the door, confused as to why my chest felt like it will burst with pain when I am totally fine awhile ago.
Is it possible that her words made me like this?
I fell on a heap down on the carpet, my breathing labored. I cannot understand why I am in pain. The room is heavily darkened by the curtains and the lack of sunlight makes me wish that she is next to me, caressing my face and assuring me that everything will be alright.
I howled, facing down the carpet to avoid being heard by Newman, or Aila. I hope they are out of the house now. I can’t afford to have her see me when I am vulnerable and in pain. I am shaking so hard, I could barely climb up the bed. I pulled the sheets only to collapse back on the carpet, landing with a thud. I tried for the second time, my legs and limbs shaking so hard making it appear as though I am suffering from a seizure. Gritting my teeth, I managed to lean half of my body on top of the bed, wriggling so that I am able to situate myself comfortably, breathing out a sigh as my whole body succumbs to the pain.
The loud thudding of my chest felt like someone is stomping on me with a giant foot that I couldn’t help but sharply take a breath. I clawed at my chest; my jaw painfully clenched as I felt the thudding, shaking my whole being. I cried out in pain, turning my face down on the sheets to muffle my scream. I am breathing harshly, frustrated because I cannot fathom the feelings I am having now.
With a whimper, I grasped the sheets tightly and tried to ease myself up into a sitting position, gasping for air. I glared at my warped reflection at the window, noticing the bulge protruding from my back.
My eyes widen at the sight and with my hand shaking, I reached out to touch the bulge, a gasp escaping my mouth. The protruding bulge growing before my eyes – now about a foot long that my shirt couldn’t hold it in any longer and it ripped, revealing a beautiful pair of my golden wings.
Why now?
I frowned at my reflection, pulling away from the tattered remains of my shirt. The pain on my chest subsided into a slight burning feeling, the harsh thud now a dulled beat against my skin. I slide out of the bed and touched my reflection.
“Why won’t you let me see you properly?” A familiar voice rang loud and clear as I floated in the dark.
Where am I?
“If you love me enough, you won’t ask to see my face, “ I am surprised of my own voice that I turned around and saw the girl appearing as though she is being painted on the dark mass. I can see the vicious red hair, supple red lips and vivid green eyes.
The girl in my dreams was Aila all along? No. This isn’t true.
My hands twitched as I fled into the night, confused of where I am headed to.
I know full well that I am dreaming but could it be a memory of the past?
My wings slowly folded back as I landed down on the cold dark earth where the girl that looks a lot like Aila was sleeping. Sneakily, I draw the covers off of her and lie down beside her, instantly drifting off to sleep.
It might have been night or day but I woke, the pain in my eyes unbearable and I couldn’t see.
Everything is covered in darkness and pain.
“What did you do?” I gritted out, hearing her sobbing in the background.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” I can feel the hot oil drizzling down the sides of my face as I began to fly, leaving her again. I can feel the wind blowing on my face as I soared but there is something wrong – the scene shifted and I found myself looking at Aila, the pain gone. She was lying down on my lap, gazing up at the sky, eyes wide and blank while she whispered, “I will find you. I will come to you.”
Her form shimmered and she dissolves into a trail of red dust.
I quickly opened my eyes and gasp.
“What I have seen is not true. It is not true. It was only my imagination, not my memory. I just conjured it inside my head,” I ran my hands on my hair, and whispered to myself. “It was because I am with Aila all the time. It is her words that made me think of that.” I muttered, walking in circles while my wings drag along my back. “Her words triggered something. It was just an illusion. It isn’t a memory. I just made it all up.”
I hastily pulled the scroll from the bedside table and decided that I shall face him now or never. I need answers and no one can provide me the answers but him. It was because of him why my fate was sealed.
My transformation only proves that I missed one crucial part on this plan.
I should look for a way to reverse the prophecy. It seems that he already knew my plan. He probably arranged my encounter with Aila and has pushed me through my actions. I can’t believe that I am the one falling on the trap and not him.
I gripped the scroll and flicked my hand, ending up at the flower field. I glared at the dome, marching up to it and plunging my hand inside. I am welcomed with total darkness as the veins remain tightly intertwined with each other, not permitting any light from bleeding inside. I settled next to the carousel and put the scroll down on the damp soil. Closing my eyes, I silently thought ‘I want to die. I want to die. I want to die.’
The dome disappeared.
The damp soil was replaced by gleaming granites as the smell of death, moss and rotting flowers infiltrated my lungs. “I’m glad you called. I was hoping for a much earlier meeting but it seems that you are kept busy by that charming little cupid,” His voice eerily echoed and I look around noticing his dark form that is drawing closer.
Hades pulls off his coat and his luminous blue hair flickered, licking the top of his head. Curiously, I observed how each strand of his hair drifted as though an inexistent wind is blowing at it.
“Staring is rude, you know.”
“I know – it’s just that your hair...”
“Oh! Of course. You are so fascinated by it that you actually told Walt Disney. I look horrible as a character and they even make a horse blow my hair off!”
“Did they?”
“Oh, don’t act so surprise.”
“But I am not the one who gave them the information about your hair, it was Emyr who constantly—”
“Anemoi. I prefer to call him by his original name as I do to you, Eros.” Hades settled next to me, conjuring a fire from thin air to keep us warm in such a cold room. “Why did you decide to visit me here with no notice? I visited your home and I saw her – I thought my warnings for you would sufficed, to make you stay away from the cupid but I guess, I thought wrongly of you. You even married her.” He nodded at the ring on my finger and I hide it from his inquisitive stare.
“Yeah. I did it to protect her. You commanded the possessed to follow her and you even chase her out with your sword.”
“So you mean that my attempt of driving her away is a failure?” Hades scratched his eyebrow and tried to flatten his glowing hair down on his forehead. “At least though, I have tried, on which you cannot really say the same. You did not try to distance yourself from the Cupid ever since day one. No efforts exerted!”
“I know what you are thinking and I will stop your train of thoughts before you go-“ Hades takes the end of my coat as I stand up, “Since you are already here, I am going to show you something that will make your life easier.” Hades fishes something out of his robe and held it out for me to see – the golden arrow. I gasped as it glinted, reflecting the fire. It looks ethereal and ancient and, powerful.
“Why do you have a cupid’s arrow, Hades?” I whispered the words, my eyes not leaving the arrow he is holding.
If I touched it, would it—
“It’s not just an ordinary cupid’s arrow, Eros – it is the original – the one that Aphrodite have conjured and -“
“and used on me, I know. Emyr and I had figured about that years ago, but I did not know that the arrow still existed and is in your possession.” I held out a finger and cringed, expecting for it to burn my skin like it did when I touch the bow Aila had used.
“Well?” Hades inquired, letting go of the arrow so it floats, just a centimeter away from my finger, not even hurting me. Smirking, I snatched it from the air and studied the engraving. “It was never really an arrow. It was a prophecy made solid, you can see the engravings on it. It was written in the old tongue. It tells about the fate of the wielder and the victim and how all of it will end up.”
‘In my chest’ I thought bitterly as I focused at the writings. I held the arrow back to Hades who shakes his hand, “No! You keep it. The arrow is yours to hold from now on.”
“But the engravings – it surely pertains to my death! Why give it to me now when that cupid is currently my wife? Do you really want me to die that quick?”
Hades smirked.
“What’s the point of keeping it from you? I am too bored chasing you all these years, Caelon. I shall let the two of you decide on what will happen. After all, it already began.” He held out a finger and touched my chest which is still smarting with pain. I take a step back and he laughed. “ have to step up and make it all easier, of course. You did ask for it, didn’t you? You wanted to die which is why you are here, talking to me.” Hades smiled, accentuating his bright blue eyes which glowed while his weird luminous hair floats, licking his scalp as though his head were on fire.
“I do want to die. But Aila—”
“That cupid will do what she is meant to do and that is to finish you. It’s her fate and yours, made because of the mistake you made in the past. Brilliant, isn’t it?” Hades’ eyes changed color as he smiles at me, his eyes now molten gray. “This is it. You know I have been wanting this to happen for thousand of years. Now, I can restore the imbalance brought by your inconvenient existence, to collect a mischievous soul. Gaea won’t be able to stop me from reaping what is promised to me by Aphrodite a millennia ago.”
“I don’t understand. I thought that, you are going to help me.” I tried to throw the arrow to him but my hand won’t let go.
“I did. I am helping you, Eros. You may think of me as insensitive but I want to end your suffering. It is time that you die and return the balance.”
“But I don’t want to die.” I whispered, surprised of my words. I took a step back, “I can’t die yet. I just married her, let me enjoy playing with her for a while.” I cringe at the lame excuse.
Hades rolled his eyes at me as he points down at the arrow, “Eros, I believe that this is the only way. Of all those years you spent on earth, I believed that you can find a way to escape this prophecy if you try hard enough.” Hades winks at me, and I was brought back to the cold dark dome while I remain seated on the carousel, the golden arrow on my hand and the scroll lying down on the ground, his voice still echoing in my ears, “If you try hard enough.”